BYOD can only be allowed if correct management is in place

While any company would be forgiven for rushing into projects which boost the flexibility given to their staff members using new technologies, they must first think of the potential security implications.

That's the opinion of Koby Amedume, EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) marketing director at IT systems management provider Kaseya.

While flexibility can be the key for success in the modern business world, using things like video conferencing, VoIP, cloud computing and in particular allowing BYOD (bring your own device) come with pitfalls which have to be considered.

Mr Amedume said: "While the modern organisation must embrace this new, mobile-centric way of working and enable its workforce to use the devices it wants, where it wants, the question remains - how do enterprises make this happen effectively and securely?  

"Accurately identifying which devices are being used and where they are located is a huge and time consuming challenge for any IT team. Gaining insight into what data those devices are accessing and, critically, how secure it is on distributed mobile devices is also complex.

"If handled incorrectly, haphazard and inconsistent mobile device management ensues, as well as greater exposure to security risks."

He feels that BYOD can only be correctly implemented after a firm has put the correct solutions in place. This includes having a well documented policy for how BYOD can work as well as putting in controls to monitor and manage data usage and network operation.

"[This is] a strategy that is most efficiently achieved via a comprehensive IT management solution or 'single pane of glass' approach which will ensure that a precedent is set for BYOD's evolution in the enterprise," Mr Amedume added.

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